Signal system.



PATENTED MAY 19, 1903.

J. K. REID.

. SIGNAL SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 29, 1902.

0 0 6% 0MW O 00 0000 h M000 3 m/ m OO/QOO OOQYGO 0 0 00%0O0M00 0 I 0 0 KEY-SIGNAL H0 MODEL.

C n 0011 to;

UNITED STATES Patented May 19, 1903.

PATENT OFFIC JOHN KEITH REID, OF MONTREAL, CANADA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO JOHN ERNEST HARDMAN, OF MONTREAL, CANADA.

SIGNAL SYSTEM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 728,616, dated May 19, 1903.

Application filed $eptember 29, 1902. Serial No. 125,262. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that. I, J OHN KEITH REID, of the city of Montreal, Province of Quebec, Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Signal Systems; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same.

My invention relates particularly to night signaling systems; and it has for its object to facilitate night communication between vessels at sea or vessels and shore-stations by enabling night-signals to be transmitted instantaneously, and consequently communication to any degree to be effected.

The invention may be said briefly to con: sist of the arrangement of a set of permanently-fixed lamps encircling a center or key light, the whole being mounted upon a common frame adapted to, be swung to face in any direction, said lamps being adapted .to be instantaneously illuminated individually, in groups, or collectively, as desired.

For full comprehension, however, of my in--' vention reference must be had to the accompanying drawings,forming a part of this illustrating in dottedlinesthe position of the frame when swungto itsextreme position to port or starboard. Fig. 4 is a perspective View of the switchboard I prefer to use in connection with my improved signal system. Fig. 5 is a detail rear viewof the center of the signalingframe, illustrating particularly the manner of entering the small cables containing the wires into the tubes of the frame.

The mast is indicated at 2, and it is encircled by a collar 3, having a rigid arm 4 projectingtherefrom, .while the end of this arm is integral with a bracket 5, which is stayed by braces 6, a pair of bearing-sleeves 7 being cast in one with said bracket. A swinging frame is pivotally carried by this bracket and consists of a series-of, preferably eight, radially-arranged tubes 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, and 15, respectively, and a series of circular and bow-shaped braces or stays 16, each of said tubes having a transverse tubular piece 18, while the frame thus constructed is pivotally connected to the bracket by having the tubes 8 and 12 project through the sleeves 7. A pair of pulleys 19 are mounted one at each side of this bracket, and a pair of ropes 20 are taken from the deck over said pulleys and attached one to each side of the frame in order that theframe may be swung to port or starboard, according to requirements, these ropes also serving as stays to brace the frame in any position to which it may be swung. .The lamps, which are indicated at a b c d e .fghdjklmnopqrst uowocyz, may ,be of the type usually employed for marine night-signals, and they are mounted upon the radial tubesand tu bnlar transverse pieces and disposed in groups preferably as shown ,in Fig. 1, While a center lamp 20 is mounted upon the center of the frame, and a pair of code-lamps 21 and 22 are mounted at the extreme outer ends of the tubes 8 and 12, respectively. The lamps d, h, 0, p, and t are red; a, e, i, m, n, q, u, A, and z are white; I), f, j, Z, r, 'u, and 0c are green, and c, g, k, s, w, and y are blue, while the center or key lamp is white, and the code-lamps 21 and 22 are red. This system of arranging the lamps may be changed to accord with any private signaling system or code; but however theymay be arranged t-he position of any lampport, starboard, upper, or lowerwhether individually illuminated or forming one of a group, or the position of any group of illuminated lamps, can be determined by means of the center or vkeyvlight. The lamps are illuminated preferably by incandescent electric'bulbs, which are included in branch circuits of which the wires form a part, are inclosed in small cables 25, leading to the various tubes, and inclosed in turn in a main cable26, said branch circuits being fed from a main lighting-circuit usually found upon the steamships of to-day. This branch circuitalso includes a keyboard 27, the keys 28 whereof; are preferably arranged in two rowsand both numbered and lettered, as shown inF-igret, to correspond as nearly as possible to the numerals and letters of the international code at present in use, and three buttons 29, 30, and 31, adapted to close the circuits of the upper code-lamp, the

' center or key lamp, and the lower code-lamp,

respectively.

In order to provide a ready means whereby the message being received or to be transmitted may be recorded and checked, two miniature signal-boards 32 and 33, with'a blackboard 34 between them, are provided, these miniature signals consisting of disks 35, disposed and colored correspondingly to the main devices and provided with shutters 36, adapted to be swung aside to disclose the disks.

In signaling the international code can be used. The following rules, based upon the international code, will be found to be applicable to advantage to my improved system: First, thered lights vertically above and below the central key-light are the codelights and arelighted orextinguished just as the day code'flag would be hoisted or hauled down; second, answering pennant at the dip is signified by both code-lights; third, close up is signified by extinguishing lower codelight; fourth, alphabetical (spelling) signals and numeral signals are preceded by the codelight above the distinguishing-letters used in the international code; fifth, with the night signaling system in cases where the letters used are not in alphabetical sequence the lights are exposed consecutively for the required period of time and are to be read off in the order in which they have been exposed.

I will now give several examples of nightsignals.

1. One-light signal-ships towing or being towedletter A: Is the towing-cable fast? 2. Two-light signal-ship to shipcodelight over Hz Stop; heave to; come nearer; I have something important to communicate.

3. Two-light signal-shore to ship-shown consecutively K-F Look out for rocketline.

4. Two-light urgent signal-ship to ship shown simultaneously N-Oz I am sinking; send all available boats to savepassengers and crew.-

5. Three-lightsignal-compassA I V S. 80 W. A S 1: N. by-W %W.

6. Three-light signal-shore to shipgeneral vocabulary W D F Signal the name of places you wish to be reported by telegraph.

7. Code-light over two letters: Latitude, longitude, time, barometer, and thermometer.

8. Code-light under two letters: Numeraltables.

9. Four light signals-geographical signalsspelling table and ships names. A F I P: Aberdeen. VJ S 0: Steamship Parisian of Liverpool.

Of these examples Nos. 4 and 6 are illustrated upon the miniature boards 32 and 33.

Sailing vessels or steamers or coast guardstations without a source of electricity may utilize this system by operating a small motor sufiicient to provide the electrical energy necessary to illuminate the signal devices.

What I claim is as follows:

1. A signal system consisting of a key signal device and a series of signal devices.permanently grouped adjacent to said key signal device, a pair of code signal devices one above and one below the key signal device, and means for animating the said signal devices individually, in groups, or collectively.

2. A night signal system consisting of a center orkey lamp and a series of lamps permanently grouped around said center or key lamp, a pair of code signal-lamps one above and one below said key-lamp and means for illuminating said lamps, individually, in groups, or collectively, for the purpose set forth.

3. In a marine signal system a horizontallyswinging vertical frame, inanimate signal devices mounted upon said frame, means for swinging said frame and means for animating said signal devices individually in groups or collectively for the purpose set forth.

4. The combination with a marine structure, of a signal system consisting of a horizontally-swinging vertical frame, means for swinging said frame, an animate center or key signal device mounted upon said frame, a series of groups of inanimate signal devices mounted upon said frame and arranged one group at each side of the center or key signal device, a group above and a group below same, the signal devices of each of said groups being different to one another, and means for animating said inanimate signal devices individually, in groups or collectively.

5. A night signal system consisting of an illuminated center or key lamp, a series of groups of lamps arranged one group at each side of the center or key lamp a group above and a group below same, the lamps of each of said groups being of diiferent color, a pair of code-lamps one above and one below said key-lamp, and means for illuminating the lamps of said groups individually, in groups or collectively and means for illuminating said code-lamps individually or collectively, substantially as described and for the purpose set forth.

6. A night signal system consisting of a horizontally-swinging vertical frame, means for swinging said frame, anilluminated center or key lamp mounted upon said frame, a series of groups of lamps mounted upon said frame and arranged one group at each side of the center or key lamp a group above and a group below same, the lamps ofeach of said groups being of different color, and means for illuminating the lamps of said groups individually, in groups or collectively, substantially as described and for the purpose set forth.

7. A night signal system consisting of a horizontally-swinging vertical frame, means IIO for swinging said frame, an illuminated center or key lamp mounted upon said frame, a series of groups of lamps mounted upon said frame and arranged one group at each side of the center or key lamp a group above and a group below same, the lamps of each of said groups being of different color, a pair of codelamps one above and one below said keylamp, and means for illuminating the lamps of said groups individually, in groups or collectively, and means for illuminating said code-lamps individually or collectively substantially as described and for the purpose set forth.

8. The combination with a marine structure, of a night signal system consisting of a horizontally-swinging vertical frame, means for swinging said frame, an illuminated center or key lamp mounted upon said frame, a series of groups of lamps mounted upon said frame and arranged in two groups of two lamps each, said groups being at opposite sides of the center or key lamp, a group above and in vertical line with said key-lamp and comprising three lamps, a group below and in vertical line with said key-lamp and comprising three lamps, fourgroups of four lamps each, one of said four-lamp groups *being above and one below each of said two-lamp groups, the lamps of each of said groups being of different colors, a pair of code-lamps in vertical line with said key-lamp and one above the uppermost and one below the lowermost of said groups, and means for illuminating the lamps of said groups individually, in groups, or collectively, substantially as described and for the purpose set forth.

9. The combination with a signal system, of a miniature signal-board having devices corresponding to the signal devices of said signal system, a series of shutters covering said devices and movable to indicate the signal upon the signal system for the purpose of recording and checking said signal.

10. The combination with a signal system, of a pair of miniature signal-boards having devices corresponding to the signal devices of said signal system, a series of shutters covering said devices and movable to indicate the signal upon the signal system and a tablet for the purpose of recording and checking said signal.

In testimony whereof I have aflixed my sig nature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN KEITH REID. 

